The name game
Beta, Segundo, LT (Little Tiny) - these monikers are all well and good while our latest edition is still in utero, but we may have a problem when the new kid arrives. We're o.k. on girls' names - there are a couple we both like - but if the kid shows up XY, we're at a loss.
Part of the problem is we used up all boys' names we like on The Boy. (Including his Hewbrew name, he's got four, thus honoring all sides of our family.) The other part of the problem is we're trying to avoid the more common names.
When she's not trying to convince me that our next child - boy or girl - should be named Dean Smith, AR has a tendency to offer up presidential names or last names that, when used as a first name, make you think of fox hunts and polo ponies: Hunter, Archer, Weston.
I like to think my suggestions are a bit groovier, more big picture, but in fact they're not even suitable for children of the rich and famous: Benzene, Aubergine, Sudoku, Batman, Ultra, Introducing (think about it.)
Not to be outdone, The Boy has come up with some winners of his own, though I'm not sure where he gets his inspiration: Big Chair, Nothing, Bitamenamin (Vitamin), Ocean and - he's really pushing hard for this one - Flip.
Anyone else have any bright ideas?
posted by judybat at 9:40 PM
24 Comments:
There's always Apple or Moon Unit. Then again I think those are girls names. What about watermellon or pear. I think you need to consider some common names if you like them and stop being so dismissive just because they have been used before. Remember in the end, Alexander is not the same as Alexis and you used it.
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Remember that Miss Anna is southern, and that southerners like to use family surnames (even from long-lost ancestors)as first names. Thus I have a family of people named Ward Carlton, Carlton Alderman, Alderman Carlton. Yes, we come from people who married cousins, so go ahead and make all the jokes you like about inbreeding. Miss Anna, go find a nice name of someone who is much admired in your family. Failing that, pick something that might work if the kid becomes an anaesthesiologist. I would have a hard time if my brain-surgeon were named "Spike" or "Bambi."
Some good advice we got the last time around was to test names against this rubric:
Can she/he be a Supreme Court Justice or a rock star with this name?
I am very much in the camp of liking family names as first names. We just don't have many good ones to go from, though one from M's family is in the running for middle name should the Limey be a girl.
For the record: I NEVER suggested Hunter.
Oh, and one more thing: Alexander and Alexis may not be the same name, but they come damn close.
OK seriously, I went to jewish boy names and came up with a few. Levi, Yaron, and then you could call him Roni,Avri or Ari, and last but not least Tavi. Good luck , I know it is a hard decesion.
I'd go with Ocean.
But otherwise, will you guys take Benjamin? It's my favorite - not too odd, not too boring, easily shortened into something not super-annoying. But we can't use it, because annoyingly, it's J's middle name, and we think that'd be wierd.
That's the best I've got. Good luck!!
Elias, Caleb, Evan, Eitan
Ok here are my 24 leading names, I love them all, so feel free to choose your favorite:
Bodkin Van Horn
Hoos-Foos
Snimm
Hot-Shot
Sunny Jim
Shadrack
Blinkey
Stuffy
Stinkey
Moon Face
Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face
Ziggy
Soggy Muff
Buffalo Bill
Biffalo Buff
Sneepy
Weepy Weed
Paris Garters
Harris Tweed
Sir Michael Carmichael Zutt
Oliver Boliver Butt
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate
But do not choose Dave!
(Special thanks to Dr. Theodor Geisel for the names and all the laughs over the years. For more, click on my name.)
Have you guys seen the book The Baby Name Wizard? It's organized better than other books I've seen, including suggestions for sibling names.
For TheBoy's first name, it suggests the following:
Sisters: Emily, Victoria, Hannah, Gabrielle, Caroline
Brothers: Nathaniel, Jacob, Nicholas, Christian, and Benjamin
For his middle (main) name, it suggests:
Sisters: Gillian, Kyra, Macy, Bethan, Jocelyn
Brothers: Duncan, Gavin, Jonah, Carson, and Conor
Weirdly, one of our favorite runner-up names when we were expecting Simone is mentioned as a sibling for S's first name.
Perhaps if we have twins we could name them "Atlantic" and "Pacific."
The Brown graduate in the family can't abide by any name that would result in us calling him Eli. If only because long ago in the early days of our courtship, she taught me a fair obscene anti-Yale cheer that I still find myself singing anytime the situation warrants.
Our son's name is Elijah. We call him Liji. When he's too old for that, we'll call him Elijah. No need for Eli to enter into it at all!
Husband and I have looked at that Social Security names list a few times and we have had great fun looking for the most UNpopular names. We thought about "Edna" for our baby, and "Ethel." I suppose those names are moot becuause I happen to think we have a boy on the way. All I do now is think about ribs, pickles and beer. I cannot drink the beer, and good ribs are not to be found in NY. At least NY has killer pickles.
How about Tikki Tikki Tembo?
I am still at a loss over why Bukowski and Hewhoisme were ruled out.
Eliiii, Eliiiii, what a.... [etc.]
Learned at my very first college football game ever, almost twenty years ago this week (Judy might have been there, too).
Regarding different name-breaks, I have a UNC-alumna friend who calls her self "Ristin" instead of "Christina". I'm just sayin'
For your next, I solidly support the idea of four or more names, whatever they are. Just not "Introducing". Or "Senator".
This message is actually for "V." I'm no expert, as 15 years as a vegetarian put me behind the curve. However, in NYC I've had good ribs at Dinosaur Bar-b-que which is in Syracuse and Harlem and recently at a place on the East side caleld Blue Smoke, which also has a cozy jazz club.
This is for "V..." Indeed there are some good ribs to be had in NY. Now, I'm not expert as 15 years of being a vegetarian but a pork loving Jewish wife has cured me of my lack of wicked ways. There's Dinosaur BBQ which is in Syracuse, Rochester and Harlem and there's a place I just ate at last week called Blue Smoke on 27th and Park in NYC. They also have a cozy jazz club downstairs with some quality performers. there's also Rub on 23rd in NYC that's got some tasty food.
How about Taylor? Sounds good to me.
Scott- Thanks! I have heard that Rub is quite good. I will have to get my carcass down there and try it. Rub sounds good. I am a fan of the Eastern Carolinas BBQ. Thank you for orienting me.
Scott- Thanks! I have heard that Rub is quite good. I will have to get my carcass down there and try it. Rub sounds good. I am a fan of the Eastern Carolinas BBQ. Thank you for orienting me.
I know I'm behind in commenting here, but I have to share this. When my youngest brother, Josh, was born, my other brother, Jacob, was 4. All during my mom's pregnancy he advocated for two names -- Kermit or Flip.
I'd say I don't know what it is about little kids and Flip, except that I know my brother's reason had to do with that popcorn commercial where the kernels are suntanning and suddenly pop up in the air. I can't remember if they actually said "Flip!" on the commercials when they did that or if we just yelled that out in my house, but Jacob became obsessed with it and determined that the new baby HAD to be named Flip, if Kermit wasn't an option.
We still call Josh "Flip" occasionally, and he's 18 now.
"Talledega Nights" didn't give much to the world, but it offered two excellent names for the taking: Walker and Texas Rangers (or just "T.R.").
And speaking from personal experience, there are too many Jacobs in the world now. At the time I was christened, it was something of an oddity. Now it's oversaturated almost to the level of Law & Order reruns.
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